La Colombe Coffee Roasters

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|image1 = Todd Main Headshot.jpg

|alt1 = Todd Carmichael, co-founder

|caption1 = Todd Carmichael, co-founder

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|alt2 = Hamdi Ulukaya, current owner

|caption2 = Hamdi Ulukaya, current owner

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La Colombe was founded by Todd Carmichael and JP Iberti in 1994 in the Rittenhouse Square neighborhood of Philadelphia.

In 2015, Hamdi Ulukaya, founder of Chobani, purchased a share of the company. Ulukaya bought out private equity firm Goode Partners to gain his stake, and helped the company raise $28.5 million to fund plans for expansion.{{cite web|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2015/08/10/business/chobanis-founder-sees-opportunity-in-a-coffee-insurgent.html?_r=1|title=Chobani's Founder Sees Opportunity in a Coffee Insurgent|last=Strom|first=Stephanie|date=9 August 2015|work=The New York Times|accessdate=2019-08-15}}{{cite web|url=http://www.phillyvoice.com/la-colombe-headed-boston-launching-canned-draft-latte/|title=La Colombe headed to Boston, launching canned Draft Latte|last=Tanenbaum|first=Michael|date=20 February 2016|publisher=Philly Voice|accessdate=10 March 2016}} This purchase made La Colombe one of several small-scale coffee roasters that received large investments or were acquired outright in 2015.{{cite web|url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2016-01-07/craft-coffee-gets-guzzled-up-by-the-conglomerates|title=Small Coffee Goes Venti|last=Rainey|first=Clint|date=7 January 2015|publisher=Bloomberg|accessdate=10 January 2016}}{{cite web|url=http://www.bizjournals.com/philadelphia/news/2015/09/25/philadelphiasla-colombe-expanding-to-new-states.html|title=Philadelphia's La Colombe expanding to new states|last=Hilario|first=Kenneth|date=25 September 2015|publisher=Philadelphia Business Journal|accessdate=10 January 2016}}

In July 2023, Keurig Dr Pepper invested $300 million in La Colombe in exchange for 33% of the company.{{Cite web |last=Arthur |first=Rachel |date=2023-07-24 |title=Keurig Dr Pepper takes 33% stake in La Colombe coffee |url=https://www.beveragedaily.com/Article/2023/07/24/Keurig-Dr-Pepper-takes-33-stake-in-La-Colombe-coffee |access-date=2023-12-20 |website=BeverageDaily |language=en-GB}}

In December 2023, Chobani fully acquired La Colombe for $900 million.

As part of the deal, Keurig Dr Pepper had its 33% equity converted to a minority position in Chobani.

Chobani took a $550 million loan to fund the acquisition.

File:La Colombe HQ.jpg

The company's earliest stores included its original site in Rittenhouse Square as well as its New York City, Chicago, and Washington, D.C. locations.{{cite web|url=http://www.grubstreet.com/2015/08/la-colombe-expansion-interview.html|title=Can Chobani's Founder Help La Colombe Become the Next Coffee Megachain?|last=Tishgart |first= Sierra |date=12 August 2015 |publisher= Grub Street |accessdate=2019-08-15}} Locations in New York were opened in 2007 and 2009 in Tribeca and SoHo, respectively.{{Cite news |last=Strand |first=Oliver |date=2010-03-10 |title=New York Is Finally Taking Its Coffee Seriously |language=en-US |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/10/dining/10coffee.html |access-date=2023-12-16 |issn=0362-4331}} The first location in Chicago was opened in 2011.{{Cite web |last=Hauser |first=Alisa |date=2018-01-02 |title=La Colombe Coffee Breaks No-Internet Policy, Starts Offering Customers WiFi |url=https://chicago.eater.com/2018/1/2/16842602/la-colombe-internet-wifi-offer-weekday |access-date=2023-12-16 |website=Eater Chicago |language=en}} The second Philadelphia location was opened in Dilworth Park (near Philadelphia City Hall) in 2011.{{Cite web |title=La Colombe Opens Its Doors In Dilworth Plaza |url=https://www.ocfrealty.com/naked-philly/%neighborhood%/la-colombe-opens-its-doors-in-dilworth-plaza/ |access-date=2023-12-16 |website=OCF Realty |language=en}}

In 2013, the company operated three locations in Seoul, South Korea.

Headquarters moved to a new construction in Fishtown, Philadelphia in 2015.{{Cite web |date=2014-06-30 |title=Build-Outs Of Summer: A New HQ For La Colombe In Fishtown, Philadelphia {{!}} Sprudge Coffee |url=https://sprudge.com/build-outs-summer-la-colombe-fishtown-philadelphia-57859.html |access-date=2023-12-16 |website=Sprudge |language=en-US}} The construction had been voted on by residents in 2013.{{Cite web |date=2013-10-10 |title=La Colombe coffee roasters come to Frankford Avenue |url=https://starnewsphilly.com/2013/10/10/la-colombe-coffee-roasters-come-to-frankford-avenue/ |access-date=2023-12-16 |website=Star News |language=en-US}} The same year, the company announced plans to expand to 150 new locations in the next three to four years. Expansion to Boston began in September 2015.{{cite web|url=http://boston.eater.com/2015/9/28/9408971/la-colombe-expansion-boston|title=Philadelphia-Based Coffee Chain La Colombe to Open Boston Location|last=Hatic|first=Dana|date=28 September 2015|publisher=Eater (Vox Media)|accessdate=2019-08-15}}

Expansion to Los Angeles was announced in early 2016, with locations in Beverly Hills and Silver Lake.{{cite web|url=http://la.eater.com/2016/2/16/11019562/la-colombe-coffee-silver-lake-beverly-hills-expansion|title=La Colombe Plots Massive LA Coffee Expansion With at Least Two New Locations|last=Elliott|first=Fairley|date=16 February 2016|publisher=Eater|accessdate=10 March 2016}} New locations in Chinatown, Washington, D.C.{{Cite web |date=2016-01-12 |title=In Washington DC, La Colombe's Now Serving In Chinatown {{!}} Sprudge Coffee |url=https://sprudge.com/la-colombe-chinatown-dc-91306.html |access-date=2023-12-16 |website=Sprudge |language=en-US}} and Lincoln Park, Chicago{{Cite web |title=La Colombe Coffee Shop Opening In Heart Of Lincoln Park |url=https://www.dnainfo.com/chicago/20160722/lincoln-park/la-colombe-coffee-shop-opening-heart-of-lincoln-park |access-date=2023-12-16 |website=DNAinfo Chicago}} were announced in 2016. In San Diego, a new location opened in Westfield UTC in fall 2017.{{Cite web |last=Woo |first=Candice |date=2017-10-17 |title=Philadelphia's La Colombe Coffee Roasters Coming to Westfield UTC |url=https://sandiego.eater.com/2017/10/17/16488980/philadelphia-la-colombe-coffee-roasters-san-diego-westfield-utc |access-date=2023-12-16 |website=Eater San Diego |language=en}}

In 2021, a location was announced in Austin, Texas inside a Whole Foods Market, the company's first Texas location.{{Cite web |last=Colombe |first=La |title=La Colombe Coffee Roasters Deepens Relationship with Whole Foods Market |url=https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/la-colombe-coffee-roasters-deepens-relationship-with-whole-foods-market-301406307.html |access-date=2023-12-16 |website=www.prnewswire.com |language=en}}

In 2025, both locations in Boston closed (at 745 Atlantic Ave. in Leather District and at 29 Northern Ave. in the Seaport District), with the owners citing financial performance of the locations and other factors.{{Cite web |last=Umholtz |first=Katelyn |title=Greater Boston restaurants and bars that have closed in 2025 |url=https://www.boston.com/food/restaurants/2025/01/17/greater-boston-restaurants-bars-closed-2025/ |access-date=2025-04-14 |website=www.boston.com |language=en-US}}

{{As of|2025}}, La Colombe advertises on its website 30 locations in the United States, in Philadelphia, New York City, Washington, D.C., Boston, Chicago, Austin, Los Angeles, and San Diego.{{Cite web |title=La Colombe Cafe Nearby - Coffee Shop Near Me - Coffee Roasters |url=https://www.lacolombe.com/pages/cafes |access-date=2023-12-16 |website=La Colombe Coffee Roasters |language=en}}

Coop de Ville, a restaurant in the Strip District, Pittsburgh, features a walk-up window serving La Colombe coffee and espresso drinks. The restaurant opened in 2020.{{Cite web |last=Catalano |first=Emily |date=2020-09-17 |title=Coop De Ville Is Now Open in the Strip District |url=https://goodfoodpittsburgh.com/coop-de-ville-is-now-open-in-the-strip-district/ |access-date=2024-09-27 |website=Good Food Pittsburgh |language=en-US}}

In 2016, the company began offering a canned version of the Draft Latte, a cold-pressed espresso and frothed milk latte which was available on tap in stores.{{cite web|url=http://www.fastcompany.com/3056787/most-creative-people/the-aha-moments-behind-la-colombes-latte-innovation|title=The Aha Moments Behind La Colombe's Latte Innovation|last=Schulte|first=Erin|date=2019-08-15|publisher=Fast Company|accessdate=10 March 2016}}{{cite web|url=http://www.metro.us/philadelphia/coffee-in-a-can/zsJpcj---McueLHqqksurM/|title=Coffee in a can|last=Amorosi|first=A. D.|date=10 March 2016|publisher=Metro|accessdate=10 March 2016}} Draft Lattes were initially available in four flavors.{{Cite news|url=https://www.bonappetit.com/story/la-colombe-draft-latte|title=La Colombe Draft Lattes Are So Frothy and I'm So Happy|last=Music|first=Carla Lalli|work=Bon Appetit|access-date=2018-01-14|language=en}} The cans for the latte were designed by CEO Todd Carmichael and produced by Crown Holdings.{{cite web|url=http://technical.ly/philly/2016/02/22/la-colombe-draft-latte-can-science/|title=The science behind La Colombe's new draft latte in a can|last=Torres|first=Rob|date=22 February 2016|publisher=Technical.ly Philly|accessdate=10 March 2016}} The can employed a valve mechanism at the base for injection of nitrous oxide.{{Cite web|last=staff|first=Roberto Torres /|date=2016-02-22|title=The science behind La Colombe's new draft latte in a can|url=https://technical.ly/philly/2016/02/22/la-colombe-draft-latte-can-science/|access-date=2021-10-08|website=Technical.ly Philly|language=en}} Manufacturing of the cans moved from Pennsylvania to a new facility in Norton Shores, Michigan in 2016.{{Cite web |last=Lofton |first=Justine |date=2017-01-25 |title=West Michigan coffee factory to produce 75M cans in 2017, ramp up hiring |url=https://www.mlive.com/news/muskegon/2017/01/michigan_cow_headcount_major_f.html |access-date=2023-12-16 |website=mlive |language=en}}

A Nitro cold brew was also in the works around 2015.{{Cite web |last=Szkaradnik |first=Carly |date=2015-04-30 |title=Tracking the Nitro Coffee Trend in Philadelphia |url=https://philly.eater.com/2015/4/30/8523639/nitro-coffee-cold-brew-rival-bros-la-colombe-philadelphia |access-date=2023-12-16 |website=Eater Philly |language=en}}

Other products include Different Drum, a coffee-infused rum, produced at a micro-distillery located in its Fishtown, Philadelphia cafe, and a line of La Colombe single-origin and blended roasted coffees, which are available for purchase in retail stores or via the company's website.{{cite web|url=https://www.lacolombe.com/pages/coffee|title=Coffee – La Colombe Coffee Roasters|accessdate=2019-08-15}} The company also produces retail cold brew in larger 42oz bottles.{{Cite web |last=Colombe |first=La |title=La Colombe Coffee Roasters® Introduces Wave of New Cold Brew Coffees Just in Time for the Spring and Summer Cold Brew Drinking Season |url=https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/la-colombe-coffee-roasters-introduces-wave-of-new-cold-brew-coffees-just-in-time-for-the-spring-and-summer-cold-brew-drinking-season-301276023.html |access-date=2023-12-16 |website=www.prnewswire.com |language=en}}

In 2020, the company announced a can of instant coffee with new self-heating technology.{{Cite web |date=2020-03-06 |title=This can of coffee heats up when you open it — here's how it works |url=https://www.today.com/food/la-colombe-launched-self-heating-can-coffee-t175436 |access-date=2023-12-16 |website=TODAY.com |language=en}}

In 2013, La Colombe partnered with the Clinton Foundation to found the Haiti Coffee Academy. The organization's stated aim is to improve coffee growers’ livelihoods in Haiti through training programs for smallholder farmers, a demonstration farm and nursery, and efforts to strengthen the supply chain for both local and export markets for Haitian coffee.{{cite web|url=http://haiticoffeeacademy.com/about/|title=About – Haiti Coffee Academy|website=haiticoffeeacademy.com|accessdate=2019-08-15}}

In 2016, La Colombe collaborated with Yards Brewing Company, also in the Philadelphia area, to produce a coffee stout to be served in local Shake Shack branches.{{cite web|url=http://mobile.philly.com/beta?wss=/philly/food&id=364597791|title=Shake Shack, La Colombe and Yards collaborate on a fundraiser coffee stout|last=LaBan|first=Craig|date=7 January 2016|publisher=Philly.com|accessdate=10 January 2016}}

Also in 2016, the company collaborated with the Icelandic brewer Einstök and again with Yards on Snorri's Awakening, a coffee pale ale.{{cite web|url=https://www.ratebeer.com/beer/yards--einstok-snorris-awakening/328122/|title=Yards / Einstök Snorri's Awakening|website=RateBeer|accessdate=2019-08-15}}

In 2021, the company collaborated with Whole Foods Market to open new stores in New York City and Austin.

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